Notorious mobster James “Whitey” Bulger found dead in federal prison in WV

Bulger was found unresponsive around 8:20 a.m. Tuesday, according to Bureau of Prisons officials. Prison staff members immediately began lifesaving measures, officials said. Bulger was then pronounced dead by the Preston County Medical Examiner.

The FBI has been notified and has begun an investigation, prison officials said.

No staff or other inmates were injured, according to a news release.

Bulger had only been at USP Hazelton since Monday, officials said.

Bulger was sentenced in the U.S. District Court, in Massachusetts, to life sentence for Racketeering Conspiracy, Racketeering, Extortion Conspiracy, Money Laundering, Possession of Unregistered Machine Guns, Transfer and Possession of Machine Guns, Possession of Firearms with Obliterated Serial Numbers, and Possession of Machine Guns in Furtherance of a Violent Crime.

UPDATE (10/30/18 at 1 p.m.):

Federal officials have confirmed that James “Whitey” Bulger was found dead at USP Hazelton, where he had just been moved, according to NBC News Justice Correspondent Pete Williams.

Bulger was 89 years old.

Just after Bulger’s move to the facility, a man was killed at the prison Tuesday morning, according to Richard Heldreth, who is the president of Local 420 of the American Federation of Government Employees. Heldreth did not have details on the death, but did say that it appeared to have been a homicide.

Three inmates have been killed at the facility in the last seven months, Heldreth said. The American Federation of Government Employees has been making its concerns about staffing at the facility known to local media and the West Virginia congressional delegation. There are currently 40 vacancies at Hazelton, Heldreth said.

ORIGINAL (10/30/18 at 12:08 p.m.):

James “Whitey” Bulger, a notorious New England organized crime boss, who is serving two life sentences on racketeering charges, has been moved to a federal prison in West Virginia.

According to the federal Bureau of Prisons website, Bulger is listed as an inmate at USP Hazelton, which is a high security penitentiary, with a minimum security satellite camp attached to it.

It’s unclear which of the facilities Bulger is housed in. USP Hazelton is located just off of Interstate 68, in Preston County, which is in the far northeastern corner on West Virginia, near the Maryland border.

He was being held at a prison in Florida, before being sent to a prison transfer facility in Oklahoma and then on to Hazelton.

Bulger is 89 years old.

Just after Bulger’s move to the facility, a man was killed at the prison Tuesday morning, according to Richard Heldreth, who is the president of Local 420 of the American Federation of Government Employees. Heldreth was not able to release the name of prisoner who was killed. He did not have details on the prisoner’s death, but did say that he appeared to have been murdered.

Three inmates have been killed at the facility in the last seven months, Heldreth said. The American Federation of Government Employees has been making its concerns about staffing at the facility known to local media and the West Virginia congressional delegation. There are currently 40 vacancies at Hazelton, Heldreth said. Just last week, Sen. Joe Manchin(D) and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito(R), along with several senators from other states, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions expressing their concerns with the Bureau of Prisons staffing practices. You can read the full letter here.

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